Comprehensive Understanding of Hillocks and Ion Tracks in Ceramics Irradiated with Swift Heavy Ions
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Article Comprehensive Understanding of Hillocks and Ion Tracks in Ceramics Irradiated with Swift Heavy Ions Norito Ishikawa 1,* , Tomitsugu Taguchi 2 and Hiroaki Ogawa 1 1 Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195, Japan; [email protected] 2 Quantum Beam Science Research Directorate, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST), Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +81-29-282-6089; Fax: +81-29-282-6716 Received: 13 November 2020; Accepted: 8 December 2020; Published: 9 December 2020 Abstract: Amorphizable ceramics (LiNbO3, ZrSiO4, and Gd3Ga5O12) were irradiated with 200 MeV Au ions at an oblique incidence angle, and the as-irradiated samples were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ion tracks in amorphizable ceramics are confirmed to be homogenous along the ion paths. Magnified TEM images show the formation of bell-shaped hillocks. The ion track diameter and hillock diameter are similar for all the amorphizable ceramics, while there is a tendency for the hillocks to be slightly bigger than the ion tracks. For SrTiO3 (STO) and 0.5 wt% niobium-doped STO (Nb-STO), whose hillock formation has not been fully explored, 200 MeV Au ion irradiation and TEM observation were also performed. The ion track diameters in these materials are found to be markedly smaller than the hillock diameters. The ion tracks in these materials exhibit inhomogeneity, which is similar to that reported for non-amorphizable ceramics. On the other hand, the hillocks appear to be amorphous, and the amorphous feature is in contrast to the crystalline feature of hillocks observed in non-amorphizable ceramics. No marked difference is recognized between the nanostructures in STO and those in Nb-STO. The material dependence of the nanostructure formation is explained in terms of the intricate recrystallization process. Keywords: swift heavy ion; hillocks; ion tracks; ion irradiation; TEM 1. Introduction Long nanometer-sized damage trails are created in ceramics continuously along the trajectories of swift heavy ions (SHIs), if the energy transfer from a SHI to an electron system of ceramics is sufficiently high [1–3]. Such characteristic damage is called an ion track. The mechanism of ion track formation has been extensively studied so far, and it has been one of the central topics in the research on ion-solid interactions. Ceramics can be categorized into two groups; amorphizable and non-amorphizable ceramics. If amorphous ion tracks are created, the ceramics are called amorphizable ceramics. The electronic stopping power dependence of ion track sizes in many amorphizable ceramics has been successfully predicted using the thermal spike model [4–8]. According to the model, the amorphous ion track formation is attributable to a local temperature rise sufficient to cause local melting along an ion path. On the other hand, there are non-amorphizable ceramics in which a crystal structure within an ion track region is not amorphized [9–14]. It has been found that in non-amorphizable ceramics, ion track size is markedly smaller than the size of the melt predicted by the thermal spike models [13,14]. Recent molecular dynamics (MD) simulation has revealed that the small ion tracks in non-amorphizable ceramics are attributable to fast recrystallization after transient melting [15–18]. It has been pointed out that the ionic nature of atomic bonding in non-amorphizable ceramics may be responsible for such fast recrystallization in non-amorphizable ceramics [9,19]. However, there is Quantum Beam Sci. 2020, 4, 43; doi:10.3390/qubs4040043 www.mdpi.com/journal/qubs Quantum Beam Sci. 2020, 4, 43 2 of 14 currently no consensus on which material property makes the distinction between amorphizable and non-amorphizable ceramics. Therefore, it is important to examine the material dependence of ion track formation in terms of amorphization/recrystallization. Ion track formation caused by SHIs is often accompanied by the formation of hillocks (so-called surface ion tracks) [20–35]. Our recent studies revealed that both ion tracks and hillocks are amorphous in the case of amorphizable ceramics (Y3Fe5O12 (YIG)) [36,37], whereas crystalline hillocks are found in the case of non-amorphizable ceramics (CaF2, SrF2, BaF2, and CeO2)[36,38]. Since the surface protrusion is a direct consequence of local melting along the ion path (melting of the ion track region), the observation of crystalline hillocks in non-amorphizable ceramics also provides a strong evidence of recrystallization after melting of the ion track region. It was also found that the hillock diameter always coincides with the diameter of a melt predicted by the thermal spike model for both amorphizable and non-amorphizable ceramics. This means that a hillock diameter value is affected by a melting process, but it remains unchanged after the subsequent recrystallization process. It is likely that a hillock size reflects melting, whereas an ion track size reflects both melting and subsequent recrystallization. Therefore, a comparative analysis of ion tracks and hillocks allows us to elucidate the whole processes of melting and amorphization/recrystallization. Moreover, there must be a variety of hillock and ion track morphologies due to an intricate recrystallization process, which can be the origin of the material dependence of nanostructure formation. We recently proposed a method for precise measurement of a hillock size by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) [36–38]. The method is useful for the direct observation of a hillock side-view. It allows the accurate measurement of hillock dimensions and the identification of hillock crystal structure. In our previous study, we have studied hillocks and ion tracks in non-amorphizable ceramics such as CaF2, SrF2, and BaF2, whereas only one amorphizable ceramic (YIG) has been studied [36,37]. In the present study, we have further studied the relationship between the hillock diameter and ion track diameter for various types of ceramics. First, we show results of the TEM observations for SHI-irradiated amorphizable ceramics such as LiNbO3, ZrSiO4, and Gd3Ga5O12 (GGG) and then for SrTiO3 (STO) and 0.5 wt% niobium-doped STO (Nb-STO), whose hillock formation has not been fully explored. The electrical resistivity of STO increases by more than nine orders of magnitude by doping with 0.5 wt% Nb, whereas its crystal structure remains unaffected by the doping [39]. The effect of Nb doping on its hillock morphology is also investigated in this study. Based on the TEM investigations of both amorphizable and non-amorphizable ceramics, we discuss how the SHI-induced nanostructure formation depends on the intricate recrystallization process. 2. Experiments Thin samples for TEM observations were prepared before irradiation by the following procedure. The original materials were ZrSiO4 (98%) powder (Kojundo Chemical Laboratory Co., Ltd., Saitama, Japan), LiNbO3 single crystals (Onizawa Fine Product Co., Ltd., Ibaraki, Japan), Gd3Ga5O12 (GGG) single crystals (Rare Metallic Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), SrTiO3 (STO) single crystals (Shinkosha Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan), and 0.5 wt% niobium-doped STO (Nb-STO) single crystals (Shinkosha Co., Ltd., Kanagawa, Japan). The original materials were finely ground using an agate mortar and pestle. For the preparation of LiNbO3 specimens, first, 3 mm diameter nickel grids with 2000 lines/inch were coated using 0.5% Neoprene W in toluene (Nisshin EM Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), which works as an adhesive agent, and then the ground LiNbO3 powder was randomly dispersed on the grids. For the preparation of materials other than LiNbO3, the ground samples were dispersed in ethanol by an ultrasonic bath for a few minutes, and then the ethanol was dropped on 3 mm diameter 200 mesh copper grids covered with porous carbon films. The grids were then air-dried at room temperature. The samples on the 32+ grids were subsequently irradiated with 200 MeV Au ions at an oblique incidence angle (45◦ relative to normal direction) at room temperature in a tandem accelerator at JAEA-Tokai (Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai Research and Development Center, Tokai, Japan). The charge state (32+) was chosen to ensure the charge of the incident ions to have the average value of the equilibrium charge. The samples Quantum Beam Sci. 2020, 4, 43 3 of 14 Quantum Beam Sci. 2020, 4, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 15 were irradiated with ions at 1 1011 ions/cm2. The as-irradiated samples were examined using a × JEOLtransmission Ltd., Tokyo, electron Japan) microscope operated (TEM,at 200 kV. Model The 2100F, ion track JEOL size Ltd., was Tokyo, measured Japan) using operated the TEM at images 200 kV. takenThe ion at tracka low size magnification, was measured wherein using clear the TEM line-like images contrasts taken atwere a low expected magnification, to be imaged. wherein On clear the otherline-like hand, contrasts the hillock were expected size was to measured be imaged. using On the the other TEM hand, images the hillocktaken at size a washigh measuredmagnification, using whereinthe TEM a images clear contour taken at of a highhillocks magnification, was expected wherein to be obtained. a clear contour The electronic of hillocks stopping was expected power to (S bee) wasobtained. estimated The electronicusing SRIM-2008 stopping [40,41]. power (Se) was estimated using SRIM-2008 [40,41]. 3. Results Results and and Discussions Discussions 3.1. Dimensions Dimensions of of Hillocks and Ion Tracks in LiNbO3,, ZrSiO ZrSiO4,, and and GGG GGG We havehave observedobserved nanostructures nanostructures created created by by SHI SHI irradiation irradiation in amorphizable in amorphizable ceramics ceramics using using TEM. TEM.Figure Figure1a–c show 1a–c the show bright the field bright images field of images ion tracks of ion in LiNbO tracks3 ,in ZrSiO LiNbO4, and3, ZrSiO Gd3Ga4, and5O12 Gdirradiated3Ga5O12 withirradiated 200 MeV with Au 200 at MeV an oblique Au at an incidence oblique angle.